This sounds like a real problem area. How about Louisiana iris? Do they survive in your zone?

At the risk of being banished from this forum, how about ground cover roses? They accept heavy soil and are pretty with iris - maybe you could have some of the higher ground with iris?

you have what i have, clay hill. i just pour top soil about 3" high over the clay. iris love clay, holds the moisture and nutrients, i love the topsoil, EASY to plant in!

Really, IRIS LOVE CLAY? Mine has always tried to die in that location previously that's why I want to amend the soil and raise the bed but DH think useless waste of time, just embed the iris and move to the next one.

Do you grow yours in rows or randomly? If rows, what do you use to keep grass down between rows and are the rows raised or flush?

How about planting a row of Iris, then a row of rocks, iris, rocks etc.

Might keep the topsoil from washing away before the irises are established.

Roni,

Bearded irises suffocate and die in my clay if the clay compacts tightly right around the rhizomes. I amend my clay heavily for the irises, using anything and everything I can get my hands on to lighten the soil (sand, composted horse manure, gypsum, sphagnum peat, perlite, alfalfa meal - pretty much any organic material would help). The rhizomes are planted into the amended soil, and the roots eventually grow down into the unamended clay beneath.

My main iris beds are planted in raised windrows which help divert foot/paw/hoof traffic into the alleys between the planted windrows. That way the soil right around the rhizomes doesn't get compacted the way it did when I was planting level rows.

Laurie

Maybe your clay is acidic?

Alkaline clay is really good for irises (& crepe myrtles in warmer zones).

Interesting.. Like Jain, I have clay clay clay. Before I knew better, I planted the iris in the clay, no amending, nothing. Then I started raising the beds, and amending, amending amending amending. Guess what.. the iris in the amended beds with lovely soil just don't do as well as the iris in the clay. I don't know why, I just know for me it works. My clay is so bad in the summer you can't dig it.. it is hard and compact, yet the iris thrive....Nothing else would. My other plants love the amended soil.

I think the iris can make a big difference. Some iris thrive, some don't, no matter how good the soil is or isn't. Maybe you could ask Jain what iris are doing well on her clay slope.

The iris that are doing well in clay for me: Second Show, Stairway to Heaven, Mary Francis, wabash and a couple of unknown, but older forms. As you can see, none of these are the latest and greatest, but they are very pretty....

ok all do well for me, i wouldn't have over 1000 varieties if i was fussing with them! i plant my iris on the hill sides with paths. remember i DO poor topsoil over the clay, just enough so i can easily plant, but i want the roots in the clay, keeps them upright and happy like little anchors in my 70 mph winds. the only time iris tip over on my hill is when the topsoil is too deep, the roots can't hold on the hill and take the windy abuse.
here are some pics for you too see. i plant them laterally or vertically depending on which area i am in, i have them all over the place... some of these pics were in the construction phase so you can see how i planted them.
this~
{{gwi:1031710}}
becomes that~ [can't find the hill in bloom, too many pics to look thru, but you get the idea]
{{gwi:1031712}}
this~
{{gwi:1031714}}
to this
{{gwi:1031715}}
etc
{{gwi:1031716}}
dbl etc
{{gwi:1031717}}

my beds are from 4' to 8' wide with paths, because its clay and step i want to get around safely and have paths or stairs everywhere! hope this helps, i will delete this pics quick so as not to slow you up.

Oh dear God, I've died and gone to Iris heaven. What a lovely (and practical) garden you have!!!

I have a perfectly flat yard, so I'm in awe of your steps and hills.

Stunning!

Awesome pics, they are slowing me down a bit. I love them may I copy them quick before you delete. So I can show DH tonight.

Roni

Sorry to double post but in looking again I have a few questions.
1) Do you do this digging every year?
2) Do you plant closer than the desired distance apart?
3) Do you mulch? That is mulch I see isn't it?
4) Where do you find the time?
5) Can I ask more questions later?

Roni

I love your gardens. I wish there was an area like that in NE Mississippi. Lee Mincy

how funny to worry about a double post when its YOUR thread! yes you can copy them for your use only.

1) Do you do this digging every year?
i have too... if i don't they get so big i need my husband to lift them on the second year. my husband is not amused, nor am i...
2) Do you plant closer than the desired distance apart?
i do, i like the wow factor, plus i have to divide anyway... mine increase from 3-10 per rhizomes a year. i get snowed under fast with extras... i plant about 15" on center
3) Do you mulch? That is mulch I see isn't it?
i do mulch, its hot as hades here, i mulch my entire property with free mulch from the county tree trimmers. i do get into trouble with it and turkeys, they can bury my iris 8" deep when they dig, but alas no turkeys this year. i miss them, they keep the rattlesnakes away...
4) Where do you find the time?
i live for the garden... it takes me from may to oct to do it all, BUT i love redecorating and doing new color schemes each summer. this year the gophers ATE 100s and 100s of varieties, some areas will be much quicker to fix up...
5) Can I ask more questions later?
sure, but i think you may gather i live in the garden, i just dine at the computer and head back out!

thanks for the compliments!

Now I'm really impressed. If I had to deal with rattlesnakes the closest I would get to an iris is this forum. Lee Mincy

Jain, totally awesome!

Notice the SLOPE on Jains garden! That says drainage to me. My clay loam is alkaline, and very FLAT, and it sits above a septic drainage bed (basically the whole yard because it hasn't got anywhere else to go in winter) and holds water like mad. I have built up and up, and the irises are doing better and better.
Yes they love the clay because it is so full of nutrients, but it has to be kept not too wet and not too dry!
Jain your garden is gorgeous and those hills must keep you fit! What amases me about your photos is how much like the Australian bush your back drop looks. It just looks like gums (eucalypts) and wattles (acacias) everywhere, same as here! I don't like the thought of rattlesnakes, but our Eastern Borwn Snakes are pretty deadly and I have killed a few of them over the years.Under the zuchinnis and pumpkins leaves are the places that I worry most about. Otherwise I try and keep the grass short and the beds weed free so I can see whats in there at ground level.
My cat was taken by a brown snake last summer, and we don't want to get another cat because of the bird life, but the first sign of snakes in the garden and I will be getting another little garden hunter. Dinah (my cat) has dispensed with many, many snakes in her 12 years.

OOps - I mean my clay is ACIDIC not alkaline. I treat it very heavily with lime each year, and when the soil is wet I push the fork in under and around the clumps to loosen the soil and help it drain.

sparaxis my old neighbor moved to bali and spends lots of time in australia, she says its very similar to ca. the only native trees/shrubs are oaks, horse chestnuts and some toyon, otherwise we added it all.
i have lost a cat to rattlesnake too... i gave up veggie gardens because of them, who needs to put your hand in a zucchini and die over a dang veggie. if i grew fudge and cookies i may risk it...
this year i have come across 4 rattlesnakes coiled ON my iris, i have only begun dividing, i dread the rest of the year. i have NEVER seen them once in my iris. the gophers had take over, perhaps the snakes are here dining on them. oh i HATE this type of wild kingdom... i will have nightmares even mentioning the S word, my phobia runs deep.